Jet-condenser.



R. N. EHRHART.

JET CONDENSER.

APPLICATION FILED DEG.10,'1908. 1 9 57, 7 Patented Nov. 21, 1911.

4 SHEBTS SHEBT 1.

WITNESSES:

INVENTOR.

R. N. EHRHART.

JET CONDENSER, APPLICATION FILED DBO. 10,1908.

Patented Nov. 21

4 SHEETS-SHBET 3.

R. N. EHRHART.

JET CONDENSER.

APPLICATION FILED 11130.10, 190a.

Y 4 SHEBTSSHBET 4.

- [NVENTORI Patented N 0v. 21', 1911.

WITNESSES;

) R'NEY IN FACT.

upper portion 14 of the condenser UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RAYMOND N. EHRHART, F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYEI'ANIA, ASSIGNQR, BY MESNEASSIGNMENTS, TO THE COLONIAL TRUST GOMPANJLJTIFUSTEE, 0F PITTSBURGH,PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVAIXIA..

JET-CONDENSER. Y

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented NOV. 21, 1911.

Application filed December 10, 1908. Serial No. 466,875.

To all whom it may concern:

' Be it known that I, RAYMOND N. EHR HART, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny andState of Pennsylvanla, have made a new and useful Invention in Jet-Condensers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to condensers of the jet type and an object hasbeen to produce an organized condensing apparatus employing nothing butrotary pumps, and in which the elevation of the discharge from theairejecting pump is independent i rom the elevation of the base of thecondenser.

A further object is the production in an organized jet condenserapparatus in which the water and air may be handled by devices driven bya common turbine or other prime mover operating at a relatively highspeed.

These and other objects which will readily appear to one skilled in theart, I attain by means of the apparatus described in the specificationand illustrated in the accompanying drawings, throughout which likeparts are designated by like numerals.

in the drawings, Figure 1 is a view in elevation, a portion of the samebeing in section, illustrating this invention; Fig. 2 is a view inelevation of the apparatus embody ing this invention; Fig. 3 is asomewhat diagrammatic view of the apparatus showing the outlet for theair pump at a considerable elevation above the base of the condenser;Fig. t is a longitudinal section of the air and water pumps; Fig. 5 is asectional view of the ejector employed with this apparatus; and Figs. 6and i" are detail views of a modified form of a portion of the ejectorapparatus illustrated in Fig. 5.

The condenser proper, which may be of any desired form, as illustratedin the draw ings consists of a base portion 8 which forms a collectingchamber for the condensed steam and the condensing water and which isprovided with an outlet passage 9 for conducting the water to the inlet10 of a centrifugal pump 11.

For the purpose of manufacture the section resting on and supported bysection 8 is formed of two castings 12 and 13. The proper is providedwith a steam inlet 15, which conhccts itvith the exhaust steam line 16.

This portion is covered by a plate 17 and interiorly carries anannular-1y arranged series of spray nozzles 18. These spray nozzles areprovided with water through pas-' sage 19 and pipe 20, which connectswith a suitable source of condensing water supply. Pipe 20 is preferablyprovided with a valve 21, by means of which the condensing apparatus maybe cut oil from the source of water supply when desired. The spraynozzles 18 are formed and arranged to deliver a shower of drops ofcondensing water into a combining tube 22 located therebeneath andformed partially in casting 13 and partially in casting 12. Thecontracted throat 23 of this combining tube terminates at a sli htdistance above the top casting 8 and prefierably above the level of thewater Within the condenser. A bypass 24, provided with a valve 25connects water pipe 20 with an overflow tank 26 formed in casting 12.Casting 13 is provided with an air outlet 27 located a considerabledistance above the throat 23 of the combining tube. A pipe 28 leads theair to an ejector 29. The ejector may be of any well-known type, butpreferably consists of a multiported nozzle 30 provided with ejectingwater through the throat 31 by means of a pipe 32 connected to theoutlet 33 of a centrifugal pump 34; mounted on the same shaft as pump"11. The air which passes to the ejector through the pipe 28 enters theports of nozzle 30 and is ejected through the diffuser 33 by the waterwhich passes through the nozzle.

In Figs. 1 and 2. the outlet to the diffuser 33 is shown on a level withthe base of the condenser while in Fig. 3 the outlet is shown at aconsiderable elevation above the base of the condenser. Either positionmay be employed and, in fact, the position of the diffuser does notdepend upon the position of the base of the condenser.

The runners 35 and 36 of the centrifugal pumps 11 and 34 are mounted ona common shaft 37. The castings of the two pumps are bolted together andthe shaft may be driven by any suitable prime mover, but preferably by arelatively high speed turbine.

Since the ejector 30 is supplied with water at constant pressure, thevelocity of the water therein is approximately constant, so that it'will entrain a constant. volume of air, since at any cross-section ofthe cicctor we have a fixed space taken up by the water,

acteristic of always entr'aining a constant volume of airno matter fromwhat vacuum it is exhausting the air; that is, if it is drawing air from28-inch vacuum, it will handle the same volume of air as when drawingfrom a 26-inch vacuum; a greater weight of air, however, is handled whendrawing from a 26-inch vacuum. 'The power absorbed by the centrifugalpump furnishing the water is approximately the same'no matter what thevacuum.

In order to increase the capacity of the condensing apparatus, a steamjet 38 discharging into a diffuser 39, which communicates with the inlet40 to the multiported nozzle 30, is employed. In case the condensingapparatus is of large capacity, a number of these steam jets, arrangedpreferably in annular series asillustrated in Figs. 6 and 7, may beemployed. The device consists either of a single jet or a series ofjets, which may be supplied either with live or exhaust steam from anysuitable source through pipe 41, and is arranged tocompress the air uponwhich it acts, say, from; 28-inch vacuum to 26-inch vacuum, therebyincreasing the capacity of the ejector 29. In order to preliminarilystart ejector 29, a steam ejector, as illustrated at L2, Fig. 5, isemployed which may be supplied with steam from any suitablesourcethrough pipe 43. This pipe will be provided with a valve which,after the device is in operation,

may be closed.

In operation, the inlet 15 of the condensing apparatus will be connectedto the line to be exhausted and the exhaust steam passing down throughthe combining tube 22 intimately mingles with the shower of water dropsdischarged nozzles 18. The steam is thus condensed within the combiningtube and flows into the receiving chamber within the casting 8. The airwhich comes over with the steam and with the water passes up throughthesheets of water overflowing from the tank 26 and out of the condenserthrough pipe 28. Any steam which passes throat 23 of the combining tubeis prevented frompassing out with the air by means of these fallingsheets of water from the tank 26.

The inlet 44 to the centrifugal pump which furnishes water to theejector 29 will connect with the cold well or any other suitable sourceof relatively cold water supply and, of course, if desired, the ejector29 may discharge the water passing through it back to the cold well orother source of supply.

In accordance With the provisions of the stant volume of water, meansconnectingsaid device with the source of air to heremov ed, and a steamjet device adapted to raise the pressure of the air from said sourceprior to its entrance; to said water jet device. r

2. In a condensingapparatus, a condensing chamber, a water jet device, acentrifugal pump adapted to supply said device with water, an airconduit connecting said chamher with said device, and a steam jet deviceadapted to raise the pressure ofthe air from said conduit prior to itsentrance to said water jet device.

3. In a condensing apparatus, a water jet device, a centrifugal pumpadapted to supply said' device with water, conduit means connecting saiddevice with the source of air to be removed, and a steam jet deviceadapted to raise thepressure of the air from said source prior to itsentrance to said water jet device.

. In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 9th dayof December, 1908.

RAYMOND N. EHRHABT.

Witnesses: 4

CHARLES MCGHEE, Lino. O. WALKER.

